Dark Knight

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Lore

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"The pious Ishgardian clergy guide the flock, and the devout knights protect the weak. Yet even the holiest of men succumb to the darkest of temptations.
None dare to administer justice to these sacrosanct elite residing outside the reach of the law. Who, then, defends the feeble from the transgressions of those meant to guide and protect them?
A valiant few take up arms to defend the downtrodden, and not even the holy priests and knights can escape their judgment. Pariahs in their own land, they are known by many as “dark knights.”
These sentinels bear no shields declaring their allegiance. Instead, their greatswords act as beacons to guide the meek through darkness." — Game Description

General Information

See also: Dark Knight (Seafood)

Dark Knight is a Tank job that wields a Greatsword (2-handed sword) as its weapon. Unlike 2.0 jobs, Dark Knight does not have a base class and starts from level 30. It was released in the first expansion pack, Heavensward, in June 2015.

There is no physical guild building for the Dark Knights. After following the first few quests of the job's storyline, Dark Knights receive their job-advancement quests through an NPC located in the Ishgard Inn, The Forgotten Knight.

Play Style

As a tank, the Dark Knight focuses mainly on getting aggro and keeping it. The job is especially known for its ability to mitigate magic damage through Dark Mind, and can frequently be seen in higher-level raids where the boss deals a lot of it. They can function as off-tanks relatively well given their potential damage output.

The main mechanic Dark Knights will have to deal with is MP management. While under the effects of Darkside, MP is drained at a constant rate, so the player will have to juggle between using skills that require MP and those that recover it in order to maximize their effectiveness.

Job Gauge

The Job gauge for Dark Knight in Final Fantasy XIV's 4.0 Stormblood expansion brings a visual indicator to three functions relating to the job. The Dark Knight Soul Crystal will display if Grit is enabled by blue blades around the soul gem. The soul gem itself will show a numerical value relating to the amount of Blackblood the Blood Gauge has. The Blood Gauge will be surrounded by a red/purple glow if Darkside is enabled.

Requirements

• Heavensward
• Access to Ishgard, where Dark Knight's quests are located.
• Complete the quest Our End (started from NPC in The Pillars at (x12, y8)).

Trainer Locations

NPC	Location	Description
Ishgardian Citizen	The Pillars (x13,y9)	Job Start for ARR
Fray	Foundation (x11,y12)	Job Trainer for 30-50
Unflinching Temple Knight	Coerthas Central Highlands (x13,y16)	Job Start for Heavensward
Sidurgu	Foundation (x13,y12)	Job Trainer for 52-60

Actions

As of Final Fantasy XIV's 4.0 expansion Stormblood. There is a drastic change in the skill set available for Dark Knight, the list of abilities lost are as follows:

• Shadowskin
• Scourge
• Low Blow is part of the Role Actions.
• Reprisal is part of the Role Actions.
• Dark Dance
• Delirium is no longer a combo weapon skill.

Action	Icon	Level	TP Cost	MP Cost	Cast Time	Cooldown	Range	Radius	Description
Hard Slash		1	60	0	Instant	2.5s	3y	0	Delivers an attack with a potency of 150.
Spinning Slash		4	60	0	Instant	2.5s	3y	0	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Additional Effect: Increased enmity Combo Action: Hard Slash Combo Potency: 220
Unleash		8	0	795	Instant	2.5s	0	5y	Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 50 to all nearby enemies. Additional Effect: Increased enmity.
Syphon Strike		12	60	0	Instant	2.5s	3y	0	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Dark Arts Potency: 240 Combo Action: Hard Slash Combo Potency: 250 Dark Arts Combo Potency: 390 Combo Bonus: Restores MP Dark Arts fades upon execution
Unmend		15	0	353	Instant	2.5s	15y	0	Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 150. Additional Effect: Increased enmity Additional Effect: 30% chance that next Unleash will cost no MP. Duration: 15s.
Blood Weapon		18	0	0	Instant	40s	0	0	Reduces weapon skill cast time and recast time, spell cast time and recast time, and auto-attack delay by 10% and converts physical damage dealt into MP, while reducing weapon skill TP cost by 20%. Also increases Blood Gauge by 3 each time an auto-attack or weapon skill lands. Duration: 15s Cannot be used while under the effect of Grit.
Power Slash		26	60	0	Instant	2.5s	3y	0	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Additional Effect: Increased enmity Combo Action: Spinning Slash Combo Potency: 300 Dark Arts Combo Effect: Increased enmity. Dark Arts fades upon execution.
Darkside		30	0	442	Instant	5s	0y	0y	Increases damage dealt by 20%. MP regeneration stops during battle and Refresh statuses have no effect. Effect ends upon reuse.
Grit		30	0	1326	Instant	2.5s	0	0	Reduces damage received by 20%, while lowering damage dealt by 20% and increasing enmity. Also increases accuracy by 5%. Effect ends upon reuse.
Blood Price		35	0	0	Instant	40s	0y	0y	Restores partial MP when damage is taken. Duration: 15s Additional Effect: Increases Blood Gauge by 5 Can only be used while under the effect of Grit.
Souleater		38	50	0	Instant	2.5s	3y	0	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Dark Arts Potency: 240 Combo Action: Syphon Strike Combo Potency: 280 Dark Arts Combo Potency: 420 Grit Effect: Absorbs 100% of damage dealt as HP. Dark Arts fades upon execution.
Dark Passenger		40	0	884	Instant	30s	10y	0y	Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 150 to all enemies in a straight line before you. Can only be used when succumbing to the Darkside. Dark Arts Potency: 240 Dark Arts Effect: Blind. Duration: 15s. Dark Arts fades upon execution.
Dark Mind		42	0	0	Instant	60s	0	0	Reduces magic vulnerability by 15%. Can only be used when succumbing to the Darkside. Duration: 10s. Dark Arts Effect: Increase magic vulnerability reduction to 30%. Dark Arts fades upon execution.
Dark Arts		45	0	1768	Instant	3s	0y	0y	Attune with the darkness within you, increasing the potency of several actions. Can only be used when succumbing to the Darkside. Effect fades if Darkside is canceled. Duration: 10s
Shadow Wall		46	0	0	Instant	180s	0	0	Reduces damage taken by 30%. Duration: 10s
Living Dead		50	0	0	Instant	300s	0y	0y	Grants the effect of Living Dead. When HP is reduced to 0 while under the effect of Living Dead, instead of becoming KO'd, your status will change to Walking Dead. Living Dead Duration: 10s While under the effect of Walking Dead, most attacks will not lower your HP below 1. If, before the Walking Dead timer runs out, HP is 100% restored, the effect will fade. If 100% is not restored, you will be KO'd. Walking Dead Duration: 10s
Salted Earth		52	0	0	Instant	45s	15y	5y	Creates a patch of salted earth, dealing unaspected damage with a potency of 75 to any enemies who enter. Duration: 21s Additional Effect: Increases Blood Gauge by 1
Plunge		54	0	0	Instant	30s	15y	0y	Delivers a jumping attack with a potency of 200. Cannot be executed while bound.
Abyssal Drain		56	0	972	Instant	2.5s	15y	0y	Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 120 to target and enemies near it. Additional Effect: Increased enmity Dark Arts Effect: Absorbs 100% of damage dealt as HP. Dark Arts fades upon execution.
Sole Survivor		58	0	0	Instant	120s	25y	0y	Marks the target with the status Another Victim. If that target should be KO'd in battle, 20% of your maximum HP and MP will be restored. Duration: 15s
Carve and Spit		60	0	0	Instant	60s	3y	0y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Also restores MP if used while not under the effect of Dark Arts. Dark Arts Potency: 450 Dark Arts fades upon execution.
Delirium		62	0	0	Instant	120s	0y	0	Restores MP. Additional Effect: Extends Blood Weapon and Blood Price by 8s and 16s respectively. Blood Gauge Cost: 50
Quietus		64	0	0	Instant	2.5s	0y	5y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 160 to all nearby enemies. Dark Arts Potency: 210 Blood Gauge Cost: 50 Dark Arts fades upon execution.
Bloodspiller		68	0	0	Instant	2.5s	3y	0y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 380. Dark Arts Potency: 520 Grit Potency: 475 Dark Arts + Grit Potency: 650 Blood Gauge Cost: 50 Dark Arts fades upon execution.
The Blackest Night		70	0	2400	Instant	15s	30y	0y	Creates a barrier around self that absorbs damage totaling 20% of your maximum HP, or around a party member that absorbs damage totaling 105 of your maximum HP. Duration: 5s Increases Blood Gauge by 50 when effect expires.

Traits

As part of the changes to the job in Final Fantasy XIV's 4.0 Stormblood expansion. Traits were reduced to a much smaller listing focusing on new abilities. Some of the old effects went directly to their original abilities. Here is a list of the previous traits which are now lost or directly applied to the abilities:

• Enhanced Shadowskin
• Clean Weapon
• Hasty Reprisal
• Enhanced Scourge
• Low Blows
• Enhanced Unmend
• Enhanced Dark Dance
• Soul Devourer

Trait	Icon	Level	Description
Enhanced Vitality		20	Increases vitality by 8.
Enhanced Vitality II		40	Increases vitality by 16.
Enhanced Vitality III		60	Increases vitality by 24.
Blackblood		62	Allows for Blood Gauge accumulation upon the execution of certain actions.
Enhanced Blackblood		66	Allows for Blood Gauge accumulation while under the effect of Blood Weapon or Blood Price.

Cross-Class Actions

In the upcoming expansion (4.0 Stormblood) Cross-Class Actions will be replaced with Role (Tank, Healer, Melee, Ranged, Caster) Actions.

Gladiator			Marauder
Action	Icon	Level	Action	Icon	Level
Savage Blade		4	Foresight		2
Flash		8	Skull Sunder		4
Convalescence		10	Fracture		6
Provoke		22	Bloodbath		8
Awareness		34	Mercy Stroke		26

Role Actions

Role Actions will be available in the new expansion (4.0 Stormblood).

Tank
Action	Icon	Level
Rampart		8
Low Blow		12
Provoke		16
Convalescence		20
Anticipation	-NA-	24
Reprisal		32
Awareness		36
Interject	-NA-	40
Ultimatum	-NA-	44
Shirk	-NA-	48

Cross-Discipline Actions

Botanist			Miner
Action	Icon	Level	Action	Icon	Level
Triangulate		1	Prospect		1
Arbor Call		3	Lay of the Land		3
Arbor Call II		6	Lay of the Land II		6
Truth of Forests		46	Truth of Mountains		46

PvP Actions

Action	Icon	Description	Upgrade 1	Upgrade 2	Upgrade 3
Carnal Chill		Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 150 to target and all enemies nearby it. Additional Effect: Lowers target's damage dealt by 10% for 20s.	Enhanced Carnal Chill: Shortens recast time to 120 seconds.	Enhanced Carnal Chill II: Increases potency to 180.	Enhanced Carnal Chill III: Increases damage penalty to 20%.
Enliven		Instantly restores 50% TP.	Enhanced Enliven: Shortens recast time to 180 seconds.	Enhanced Enliven II: Increases TP recovery to 75%.
Full Swing		Delivers an attack with a potency of 150. Additional Effect: Damage over time with potency of 30 for 15s. Additional Effect: Increases target's damage taken by 10% for 15s.	Enhanced Full Swing: Shortens recast time to 150 seconds.	Enhanced Full Swing II: Increases duration to 20 seconds.	Enhanced Full Swing III: Increases HP increase and restoration to 25%.
Purify		Removes all detrimental effects from self or ally. Can be used regardless of status affliction.	Enhanced Purify: Shortens recast time to 150 seconds.
Push Back		Delivers an attack with a potency of 150 every time you suffer physical damage for 10s. Additional Effect: Counters any knockback attacks with a knockback and knock down for 2s.	Enhanced Push Back: Shortens recast time to 120 seconds.	Enhanced Push Back II: Increases potency to 180.	Enhanced Push Back III: Extends counter attack duration to 15 seconds.
Tar Pit		Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 150 to all nearby enemies. Additional Effect: Heavy +40% for 8s. Additional Effect: Absorbs 20% of damage dealt as HP	Enhanced Tar Pit: Shortens recast time to 150 seconds.	Enhanced Tar Pit II: Increases potency to 180.	Enhanced Tar Pit III: Increases HP absorption to 40%.
Weapon Throw		Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 50. Additional Effect: 20% chance of inflicting Heavy when dealt from behind for 6s. Additional Effect: Removes Sprint effect when dealt from behind.	Enhanced Weapon Throw: Shortens recast time to 60 seconds.	Enhanced Weapon Throw II: Extends duration to 9 seconds.	Enhanced Weapon Throw III: Increases effect potency to 40%.

Quests

Quest	Level	NPC	Zone	Coordinates	EXP	Reward
Our End	50	Ishgardian Citizen	The Pillars	(x13,y8)	24000
Ishgardian Justice	30	Fray	Foundation	(x11,y12)	7410
The Voice in the Abyss	35	Fray	Foundation	(x11,y12)	9020
Heroic Reprise	40	Fray	Foundation	(x11,y12)	11270
Declaration of Blood	45	Fray	Foundation	(x11,y12)	12420
Our Answer	50	Fray	Foundation	(x11,y12)	24000
The Wages of Mercy	50	Unflinching Temple Knight	Coerthas Central Highlands	(x12,y16)	24000	Gil 574
The Knight and the Maiden Fair	52	Sidurgu	Foundation	(x13,y12)	26400
Kindred Spirits	54	Sidurgu	Foundation	(x13,y12)	31200
Original Sins	56	Sidurgu	Foundation	(x13,y12)	36000
The Flame in the Abyss	58	Sidurgu	Foundation	(x13,y12)	40800
Absolution	60	Sidurgu	Foundation	(x13,y12)	0

Dark Knight Guide

Endgame Rotations

Tank Opener:

--> Pre cast --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> -->

Tank Rotation:

--> --> , (cycle in off cooldown attacks)

DPS Opener:

--> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> -->

DPS Rotation:

-> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> , (Cycle in off cooldown attacks)

Off Cool Down Priority:

--> --> --> --> --> -->

Images

Dark Knight Concept Art Dark Knight Concept Art without Helm 400px